Live Dining, on Wednesday, May 23, 2007, took place in a Parking Lot between the home bases of Visualeyez 2007, which are Latitude53 gallery and the Days Inn – the accommodations of the artist of Visualeyez 2007. The site of the parking lot was chosen for its lack of abundant controlled and wild plants, as of course it is a space made for cars, not for people or plants. The site was determined by the growth of edible wild plants, considered weeds, for the location of Live Dining (on May 23rd, 2007). Few hardy plants manage to seed themselves in cracks in the asphalt and small areas of wasteland in the parking lot, such as, where the parking lot grounds meet the side of the brick building, and cement borders. The edible plants growing are considered weeds. The weeds that Live Dining participant-performers-audience foraged (picked, ecologically, making sure to leave behind enough to persist), were: dandelion (flower and leaves), shepherd’s purse (heart shaped leaves) and sow-thistle (only young leaves), which we see picked and placed on the dining table, in the parking lot, in the photo.
Before the foraging by all took place, cultivated plants, planted in earth, in recyclable cardboard and plastic containers were set down in the parking lot and placed under the foot-leg of the table and chairs, which were also brought to the site and installed by all. Thus the feet of the table and chairs sunk into the soil of the cultivated plants, which were harvested, after the foraging took place, to prepare the meal for dining. The preparation, after foraging, harvesting, was to cut up and cook the vegetables and herbs and weeds. And then dine in the parking lot. We made a stir-fry, a soup and two salads.
